A year in lockdown: 5 things I’ve learnt

A year in lockdown: 5 things I’ve learnt

This week, marks ONE YEAR of living amidst a pandemic. One whole year of being in and out of lockdown, social distancing, not seeing friends and family and working from home. So many people have lost their lives. It's been a surreal and difficult time for us all. A year ago, most of us thought that lockdown would be a temporary thing and perhaps last a month or two. Little did we know that it would last over a year...Read More
New Year, Same Virus

New Year, Same Virus

So we are now in January 2021 - happy new year! We are getting towards the end of the first week back to work after Christmas (for myself and many others), and what a week it's been! I feel like so much has happened already, and I'm ready for another break. As it's a brand new month, I wanted to take part in the latest link up with a Chronic Voice. I try to take part every month, as the...Read More
Merry Covid Christmas

Merry Covid Christmas

It's that time again... it's almost Christmas! As it's December, it's also time for me to take part in the monthly blogging link up with A Chronic Voice. The linkups are a monthly get together for anyone with a chronic illness or condition. This month, the prompts to write about are: Exhausting, Exciting, Socialising, Indulging and Cutting. I thought I'd use the prompts as an excuse to write about Christmas in light of the pandemic. It's going to be different,...Read More
Stress Awareness Week: The Effects of Covid-19

Stress Awareness Week: The Effects of Covid-19

It's Stress Awareness Week, which got me thinking about stress and how the current pandemic is affecting myself and others at the moment. I've always been a "stressy" person. I pretty much worry about everything, even things that others may class as trivial. I know worrying doesn't get me anywhere half the time but it's part of who I am. I have always been a worrier, even as a child. For people like myself, who worry about trivial things, when...Read More
Hello July! Lockdown Diaries

Hello July! Lockdown Diaries

Well here we are in July. We've survived another month of lockdown in the UK. Month 3! Who'd have thought it? As these are strange yet interesting times, I wanted to write about how things are for me at the moment, whilst also taking part in the July Linkup from a Chronic Voice for a bit of inspiration. This involves writing my thoughts around several writing prompts. This month, the prompts are: Bothering, Demanding, Nourishing, Telecommunicating and Tolerating. Bothering I...Read More
Hello June: Lockdown Diaries

Hello June: Lockdown Diaries

I can't believe another month has flown by, and that we are still in lockdown after 3 months. May was a funny old month where a lot happened but yet didn't. As it's a strange time, I thought I'd reflect on my current thoughts and feelings, while utilising the June linkup party prompts from A Chronic Voice for some inspiration. HOPING Last month, I completed my twopointsix challenge to help raise awareness and funds for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. This...Read More
Hello May!

Hello May!

We are now in week 6 of lockdown in the UK and so April was not what you'd call a "normal" month! To start off May right, I thought i'd reflect a bit on April and also what I hope to achieve in May, aswell as how I'm feeling right now in the midst of the pandemic, For this post, I'm joining in with the May Link Party on A Chronic Voice and thought I'd use this months prompts for...Read More
April 2020 Link Up with A Chronic Voice: Lockdown Life!

April 2020 Link Up with A Chronic Voice: Lockdown Life!

April 2020 Link Up with A Chronic Voice: Lockdown Life! This month, I thought I'd take part in the April 2020 Linkup Party for people with chronic illnesses, over at A Chronic Voice. The link parties are a monthly get together for anyone with a chronic illness/condition.  It's been a funny old month, what with the Coronavirus pandemic forcing the UK into a complete lockdown. So in light of this, I thought I'd use the prompts this month to get...Read More
Lockdown Diaries: Week 3

Lockdown Diaries: Week 3

We have just finished week 3 in lockdown, so I thought I'd document some of the highlights of what I got up to, so I can remember years from now. Plus, writing is therapeutic to me and helps me to cope during a pretty unnerving time.   During lockdown, I'm lucky enough to be able to work from, which I do in the daytime Monday - Friday. So most of my activities below I do in the evening after work -...Read More
Lockdown Diaries: Weeks 1-2

Lockdown Diaries: Weeks 1-2

As we enter week 3 of "Lockdown" in the UK, I thought I would write down my thoughts as it helps with my anxiety and stress, but also I thought it might be interesting to look back on years from now.  So this post may be a bit jumbled and there may not be much point to it, but I just needed to get all my thoughts down somewhere.  At the moment we have had two full weeks of lockdown,...Read More
10 Tips for New Runners

10 Tips for New Runners

As this unprecedented crisis has led to a surge of people no doubt new to running, I thought I'd write a post with my top tips for new runners. One positive about the current lock-down in the UK, is that we can still get outside in the fresh air for one bit of exercise each day. This has led to an increase in people running outside, especially as the gyms are now closed and the weather is getting better. I...Read More
5 ways to look after your mental health during lock-down

5 ways to look after your mental health during lock-down

We are coming to the end of the first two weeks in lock-down in the UK and honestly, at times it can be hard. I know that other people have it worse than me. I know that key workers are having to go into work whilst I can work safely from home. I know that millions are home schooling their children, whilst attempting to work full time, whilst I don't have kids. I know I'm probably one of the lucky...Read More
Hello April

Hello April

Well, March, what a strange month you've been!!! At the beginning of the month, I was in the midst (and extreme pain!) of marathon training ready for the Manchester Marathon, which was meant to happen this weekend. On the 7th of March, it was my birthday, and I celebrated with my run club friends with a trip to Zielgelwiese parkrun in Germany to get the Z in our parkrun alphabet challenge. That feels like A LONG time ago now and...Read More
5 positives we can take from lock-down

5 positives we can take from lock-down

It's a scary and difficult time for us all at the moment amidst the Coronavirus outbreak. The UK is now in lock-down. As of 23rd March, we can only leave the house for essential supermarket visits or to exercise. If we go outside, we need to stay 2m away from others and we are not allowed to meet friends or family. This is something I don't think any of us ever imagined would happen in our lifetimes and it felt...Read More
Sigh…Corona

Sigh…Corona

There's not really much purpose to this post, other than the fact that I needed to get my thoughts down. It's been a difficult and scary time for everyone amidst the Corona-virus outbreak and at the moment, I feel like I'm in a film that I'm not particularly enjoying. Everything just seems highly surreal.  Last week, I was upset that the marathon I had trained for months for, had been postponed. This week, I feel that there are bigger things...Read More